TV Channels

Note: This is not a list of every channel everywhere, just a list of those most likely to be referenced in Fanlore as housing fannish television. For a full list of television networks by country, see the listing on Wikipedia. Likewise, channels do not include listings of every fannish show they've ever aired, just some of the more notable ones to give a feel for the channel's general influence on fandom (to try to keep this page under control). Where possible, a link is given to a more extensive list on Wikipedia.

Global TV

Showcase

A Canadian cable specialty channel with mostly scripted content from domestic and international sources. Many fan favorites are included in the shows Showcase has re-aired (Highlander, dueSouth, Queer as Folk (UK))

Notable fannish offerings originally aired on the channel have included:

Space

A Canadian cable specialty channel (see their website) focusing on SF, fantasy, and horror programming. It often uses the subtitle "The Imagination Station" after its name. Space shows both first-run and rerun series. It is noted for showing missing episodes of shows that were cancelled and full versions of shows that are often cut.

ProSieben

RTL

United Kingdom

BBC One

The BBC's main drama channel. See Wikipedia's list of programs aired by the BBC for a full list (note: combined, not broken out by BBC channel). It, along with all other BBC-branded networks, is funded through an annual licence fee that UK citizens must pay in order to legally operate a radio or television set.

BBC Three

ITV

ITV is a "network" of independent broadcasters throughout the UK who produce and share programming. Despite UK citizens needing to pay a licence fee to operate a TV set, that money goes towards funding the BBC; ITV is a commercial-funded network. Due to its shows being formatted for ads, many have widespread syndication in the US and even aired on networks there.

ABC Family (now Freeform)

A basic cable channel and is a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. Its programming includes off-network syndicated reruns and original series, feature films and made-for-TV original movies. From 1998 to 2001 it was known as "Fox Family" which syndicated many Canadian series, such as Big Wolf on Campus. In 2016, ABC Family changed its name to "Freeform" in order to cater more to young adults than families or teenagers following years of complaints by parents and media watchdogs over sexual content and violence in programming branded "Family" (the inclusion of the word "Family" in the branding being a legacy from when ABC Family used to be a religious-based network).

There also is CWRPS, an RPF subfandom specifically for actors of this network.

E!

E! is an American basic cable and satellite television channel. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.

HBO

A pay-cable channel; you have to specifically choose to subscribe to it to see it. It originally aired only movies, but eventually began showing original programming, gaining a reputation for gritty realism and high-quality programming. As a pay-cable station, it has fewer limits on topics it can deal with, and on what sorts of things can be shown and said (i.e., more skin, more violence, more sex, and more swearing than broadcast or basic cable stations).

MTV

A cable channel that was original known to be a music television channel - showing music videos 24/7 - and later on a reality television channel - showing reality shows. Although the channel still has reality shows, many of the newer shows are geared towards young adults and teenagers. See a full list of programing at Wikipedia.

Netflix

Netflix is an on-demand internet-streaming media provider. As with HBO, the fact it's an optional service means it has fewer rules as to what it can air. As such most original Netflix programming has higher levels of sexual content and/or violence than that found on even broadcast cable.

PBS

The only publicly funded broadcast network in the US, PBS has been home to a great deal of British programming, including Doctor Who and many of the Age of Sail shows.

SciFi (now SyFy)

A basic-cable channel, although not always in the most basic tier; a cable or satellite subscriber will probably have access without needing to pay a specific subscription for it. It carries syndicated SF/fantasy/horror shows, original SF shows, original movies, and most recently, reality programming that ranges from paranormal to things like "Scare Tactics" that have nothing whatsoever to do with science fiction.

Showtime

A pay-cable channel; you have to specifically choose to subscribe to it to see it. It originally aired only movies, but eventually began showing original programming, gaining a reputation for high-quality programming (and soft-core porn). Like HBO, as a pay-cable station, it has fewer limits on topics it can deal with, and on what sorts of things can be shown and said (i.e., more skin, more violence, more sex, and more swearing than broadcast or basic cable stations).